Episode 558: Skye Strickler

Hello friends! I hope this episode finds you well and enjoying life to it's fullest. Things are good here. I've doing tons of podcasts this week. Six to be exact. I got super-behind during the holidays to where a couple of weeks ago, i was doing podcasts the day before they are posted. I haven't goten behind like that in a few years, so I'm making up for it over the next couple of weeks by getting ahead again. Over the next few weeks, look for great converations with Leopold And His Fiction, Daisy O'Connor, Demi The Daredevil and more. 
Pop artist, Skye Strickler is my guest for episode 558! Skye's brilliant, debut e.p., DNA is out now. You find it and more at skyestrickler.com. I met Skye a couple of months ago and I've run into him at different events. He is a really nice guy with incredible energy and an amazing wealth of talent. Skye and I have a great conversation about growing on a farm in rural Kansas, his humble beginnings in musical theater in his teens, the dangers of being "rufeed", making DNA with his producer in Guadalajara and much, much more. I had a great time getting to know Skye. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!
 
ciao! -jg

Episode 553: Cure For Paranoia

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend! I hope your Christmas was a great success. I had a great Christmas! I got to spend time with my family. Everyone enjoyed each other's company. The dinner was a success and i think we all did well with the presents. There are kids ther now so that adds a whole new level of joy and celebration. We drank a lot of vodka and had a lot of laughs. Happy holidays everyone!
My guests for episode 553 are Dallas hip-hop/soul/funk band, Cure For Paranoia! They've only been around a year and in that short time they've released two singles with their response to the Dallas shootings, "We Matter" which was featured on the Huffington Post Blog, they opened for Ludacris, they played Erikah Badu's birthday party, they've played all around Texas and won "Best New Act" in The Dallas Observer Music Awards just a few weeks ago. We have a great conversation about their incredible journey. Find out when they're coming to a town near you at cureforparanoia.com. I hope you enjoy getting to know these guys as much as I did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 551: Chris Taylor Returns!

Hello friends! I hope you're all staying warm. I am. I actually made a huge dent in my Christmas shopping today. That's always a relief. How did we make Christmas so stressful? It makes you realize how poor you are, how much you wish you could give people. At the same time, you stress out getting your cousin's boyfriend something you think he'll like and he's not even going to show up. I spent a lot of time the last couple of years buying people music I thought they would like, but i've seen a couple of cd's I bought over the last couple of years still in the cellophane. Merry Christmas!
San Antonio's hyper-prolific artist/singer/songwriter, Chris Taylor returns to the show for episode 551! Chris put out three albums in 2016, the electronic, Re: Imagine, the gorgeous double-album, Never Ending Now and the politically infused, USBlues. Three fantastic albums! You can find all of his albums and his amazing artwork at christaylorworld.com. Chris and i met up at Sam's Burger Joint Music Hall before my gig in San Antonio a couple of weeks ago. We have a great conversaion about what drove Chris to make 3 albums this year, playing with his band, fighting fear with art, what the election year means to him and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I did. Let's get down!
 
Ciao! -jg
 
 

Episode 546: Monte Warden

Hello friends! I hope you're all doing well. I am. I got to play at The "Eye Love Savannah" show that my friend Todd Wolfson put together on Monday at Monkey Nest. I was honored to be a part of the music, but even more, I was honored to be a part of my community. It's sad to have to get together because something unfortunate has happened to a memebr of our tribe, but it's amazing how quickly and how powerfully we come together as a community to lend support and raise money for our own. It was very moving to see and hug savannah for the first time since her accident and I'm very glad she's still in our lives. You can still donate to her gofundme page every bit makes a difference. 
Legendary singer/songwriter and frontman for Americana pioneers, The Wagoneers, Monte Warden! I played a show with Monte and his new band, Monte Warden and the Dangerous Few a few weeks ago and invited him to be on the show. I haven't seen him in the last 15 years or so and was pleasantly surprised to see how much music he's written for others including, Carrie Underwood and Goerge Strait and many more. We have a great conversation about how he discovered music, going from cease and desist orders with The Wagoneers to recording a new album and playing a residency, getting sober and why, the idea behiind the jazzy country of Monte Warden and the Dangerous Few, getting his song "Desperately" recorded by George Strait and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
 
Ciao! -JG

Episode 543: Scott Collins Project

Hello friends! I hope you're having a great time preparing for Thanksgiving. Hopefully you're not fighting with family about what happened in the election and after, deflate-gate, is "Saturday Night Live" still good and all that stuff. I'll be heading to Houston to see the family. Plus, SKYROCKET!'s playing Fitzgerald's in Houston on Friday. On Thanksgiving eve, we'll be playing at Don Strange Ranch in Boerne, TX. You can find out about both shows by going to skyrockettheband.com and looking up our tour dates. I hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving. I'm Thankful for all of you. 
My guest for episode 543 is singer/songwriter/studio owner, Scott Collins from The Scott Collins Project! If you're listening to this the day it comes out, Tuesday, November 22nd, at The Mohawk here in Austin. Go to Scottcollinsproject.com to find out where they're playing and to get their e.p., Sleeper and more. Scott and I have a great conversation about working with the great Frenchy Smith and the legendary Hunt Sales, opening a new studio with world-famous engineer Chet Himes, his time living in his car and much, much more! I had a great time getting to know Scott. I'm sure you will too. Happy Thanksgiving!
 
ciao! -jg

Episode 538: Bootblacks / Liste Noire

Hello friends! I you're all doing well. Things are good here. I'm rehearsing some with my band, Ladyband Johnson for our show this Friday 11/4 at The Continental Club here in Austin. We go on at 11 pm. Come out and say hi. Other than that, tonight (Tuesday 11/1) I'll be doing some hosting duties at the TuneCore and Austin Music Foundation at Emo's. Come have a drink, hear about the many services TuneCore has to offer to better serve local artists, and catch sets by Austin-based artists, Migrant Kids and Keeper! Here's the Facebook event page 
My guests for episode 538 are Brooklyn based synth-rockers, Bootblacks and French synth wave band, Liste Noire! Both bands have new albums out and just toured Europe together and are currently on the road in America. Go to Bootblacks.net and Listenoire.tv to check out their music and find out if they're coming to a town near you. Nico from Liste Noire and Panther from Bootblacks join me via Skype and we have a great conversation about drum machines and sythesizers, touring Europe vs. America, living in a post-modern era as an artist, Mr. T for president, 80's sax solos and much more! I hope you enjoy getting to know Panther and Nico as much as I did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 536: Craig Dorfman (Author of "Brighter Day: A Jellyfish Story")

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great weekend. Are you a fan of the band, Jellyfish? Do you ever wonder why they only released two albums (Bellybutton - 1991, Spilt Milk - 1993) and broke up? Do you ever wonder what ever happened to the members of the band? Well, for episode 536 I talk to Craig Dorfman, the man who wrote the book about Jellyfish. The book is called, "Brighter Day: A Jellyfish Story" Craig just picked up distribution last week, so it should make its way into some stores in the next few months, but for now you can get it the "Brighter Day: A Jellyfish Story" facebook page. I reached out to Craig and got a copy of the book. I absolutely loved it. Jellyfish is one of my favorite bands and it was great to hear the whole story told by the people that lived it and told in a single narrative that keeps you engaged the whole time. Craig and I have a great conversation about finding the dozens of people involved in the story and interviewing them and working on the book for over 7 years, his love of music and these guys and their life story and much, much more. I hope you enjoy getting to know Craig. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 533: Amy Edwards & The Hi-Fis

Hello friends! I hope you're all doing well. Things are good here. It's my birthday today. I'm going to the dentist and then going to San Antonio to play at Sam's Burger Joint Music Hall with SKYROCKET!. I feel like I've been fighting off sickness or allergies or whatever it is that i have had for a week. Some days I'm winning, some days i'm losing. I'm pretty sure I'l prevail. I want to let you guys know that my band, Lady Band Johnson is playing on Friday November 4th at The Continental Club here in Austin. I'll post a link to the facebook event page when we make one. 
My guests for episode 533 are Yates Hagan and Amy Edwards from Amy Edwards & The Hi-Fi's! Their new single, a searing cover of The Carpenters "Superstar" is out today! Amy and Yates have gone through some restructuring of their project. They've stripped the live band down to just the two of them. Bringing out a raw, rock approach to their songs. We have a great conversation about the changes they've gone through, recording "Superstar" with AJ Vallejo, making videos and much, much more. I love these guys and I'm sure you will too. Have a great weekend. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 527: Alesia Lani / Bonnie Whitmore Stops By!

Hello friends! i hope you're all doing well and living the dream. Bonnie Whitmore stopped by last week to talk a little bit about her new album, Fuck With Sad Girls which is officially available everywhere on October 28th. However, if you want to get the album early and you live in Austin, Bonnie and her band will be playing at The Continental Club next Thursday, September 29th at 10 pm and you can buy a copy of Fuck With Sad Girls at the show. Bonnie and i have a quick conversation about the album, the show, The Beatles and more. 
My guest for episode 527 is the amazing soul singer, Alesia Lani! Alesia's latest single, "Love You" is available now where ever you find music online. Alesia is playing the 36th Annual Fall Pecan Street Festival here in Austin, tomorrow, Saturday, September 24th at 3:15 pm on The Neches Stage. Alesia is an amazing singer and her first album, First Impression and latest single, "Love You", are absolutely gorgeous. We have a great conversation and i hope you enjoy getting to know this talented and charming woman as much as i did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 522: James Speer / Rev. Wade With "Soul of a Musician" Series Stops By!

Hello friends! I hope you're all having a great week. Things are good here. We have a gret big show for you today. First up, Reverend Merrill Wade from St. Matthew's Episcopal Church stops by to talk about their "Soul of a Musician" series which kicks off their new fall season this Sunday, Sept. 11 at Iron Cactus North with Nakia. The "Soul of a Musician" series is the brainchild of Rev. Wade. Each Sunday, they have a different artist in a friendly environment playing their songs and talking about them. The shows are at 6:30 pm on Sundays at Iron Cactus North in Austin. They're free to the public. Learn more by going to their website. I'll be there this Sunday helping interview Nakia. 
My guest for episode 522 is the incredibly talented James Speer! I've known James since the 90's. He's a phenomenal keyboard player, excellent songwriter and an all around great hang. Anyway, i ran into him a month or so ago at Antone's after he had opened for and played with Eric Tessmer for his record release. I invited him over to catch up on what he's been up to the last 10 years. Well, it's been a lot... from starting a family, playing private events and nice restaurants, writing and recording with other artists and much, much more. I hope you enjoy my conversation with James. I sure did. Let's get down!
Ciao! -jg